The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-12-15
E. /. HARPER'S TRIAL,

WAS uOJ kuOWu WucLucI 14dIpCt A1u-
self would become a witness or not.
1t has been said that his counsel pro
tested against his appearance on the
witness stand, and that he has firmly
insisted that his interests demanded
that he should tell his own story. AT
10 O'Clock the question was solved by
Mr.. Blackburn calling Mr.. Harper to
the witness stand. Before he took the
oath the witness told his previous bus
mess career, ending with the Fidelity
National Bank, and went on to detail
his connection with the Fidelity Ma
tional Bank. He said that in Septem-
Der, 1886, he was induced by Wiltshire
to make him loan of $4,000. Viii
shire at that time was a debtor to the
bank to the amount of 300, 900, and he
represented to Harper that if this loan
was not made the bank would suffer.
He accommodated him upon taking an
agreement to transfer real estate
and also 100 shares OF the Fidelity Ma
tional Bank at par, then worth 100.
All went we'll until in October when
the witness returned from little din
ner party composed of Wiltshire and
some officers of the bank, and found
that during his absence Wiltshire, Eek
ert s. Co.'S check for $26, 900 on the
First National Bank had been returned
not good. This check Wiltshire said he
was unable to make good, and the
bank was compelled to carry it. An
other day when the witness was out
Wiltshire, Eckert 81 Co., got Hopkins
to wire $50, 900 credit to Chicago upon
certified checks. AT the close of bust
ness hours that day he found Wiltshire,
Eckert q Co.'S account oYerdraWn $780,
600, with the former SIT, 900, their debt
to bank of 5000, 900 and their debt to
him of S55, 600. He felt that they were
in a dangerous position. Wiltshire
transferred to him the real estate and
stock, which he turned over to the
bank. He stormed at Wiltshire, but
could get nothing out of him. He then
suggested to the cashier to call a
loan from Wiltshire, Eckert 81 Co., to
square their account, and save the
cashier.
In answer to direct questions from
Mr.. Blackburn Mr.. Harper stated I'M
reseTvedly that he never gave an order
of any kind to Mr.. Eckert to buy grain
for him in Chicago, and he was equally
sweeping and explicit in saying that he
never authorized Mr.. Wiltshire to buy
grain for him in Chicago, or elsewhere.
This is the point of the whole case and
is in direct conflict with the testimony
of both Mr.. Wiltshire and Eckert.
Mr.. Blackburn then took up the &C
counts of the bank with the First Ma
tional Bank of New York and the
Chemical National Bank of New York,
where large balances were carried, and
Mr.. Harper was called on to explain
all these transactions. He did so with
great minutenesS, referring often to
the books of the bank. In general his
excuse for irregularities was that the
bank was put into trouble by Wiltshire,
Eckert q Co. 8 debt, and he used what
ever methods he could to save the bank
and tide over the affairs. His testi-
mony was not ended at the noon adj
journment.
Harper's manner on the stand show
ed what difficult man he has been for
his attorneys to manage. He took the
jury into his confidence, and talked to
them with the purpose of convincing
them but all the time was transgresslng
the rules of evidence, as explained to
him time and again by Judge Jackson.
He argued his case as he went along,
until Judge Jackson's rebukes began
to bear the tones of Impotence. He
testified dozen times to occurrences
which he did not witness, but of which
somebody had told him. Every ques-
ton furnished new opportunity for
him to say what his intentions were.
1t seemed like presumption, after
Harper's sweeping denial, that he had
ever in any way ordered Wiltshire to
buy wheat for him in Chicago or else
where, for his counsel to hand him
three notes bearing the initials y. X,
Z. l.. H., and ask him to explain them.
Harper went on to say that when Will
shire in March stu owed the bank
and him those large sums, he insist
ed on his selling out his wheat deals so
as to pay his debts. Wiltshire said to
do so safely he should buy some that
day to keep up the market. and then he
could sell out to advantage the next
day.
HE asked my advice" said Harper,
land ! gave it. / said to him: Make
out your order to buy June wheat, and
if it's all right, I'll o. K. it, MIR.
Wiltshire sent to the bank this note
that he was going to buy that day
$3.50, 900 worth of wheat, and .. X. ID
| it, 1t was no act or account of mine in
any shape or form. The books of the
bank will show, think, that he paid
the bank a considerable amount of
whatever in this transaction except to
| get the money for the bank that was
owing to it by Wiltshire"
| The second note was in cipher. and
Harper said it related to the same sort
Of transaction.
The third note he explained by say
| ing that Wiltshire told him he had to
pay for a lot of wheat in May. HE
wanted me" said Harper, ito furnish
money for this purpose" l refused
He said 1 would be sorry. 1 advised
him to sell May wheat and buy June
and pay the difference. He asked me
to write a memorandum of a telegram
to that effect saying: Please
change that May wheat. l have
not provided for June and July. My
principal has decided, etc. Mr.. VIII.
buying largely for Cleveland parties
and that is what suppose he referred
to in the words: My principal
The witness then asked permission
to explain a check of Wilshire's fol
$40, 900 in October, but was stopped by
the court. He was then asked if il
was given for wheat deal. Ht
answered: Mo- that it was given tt
pay bonds which Wiltshire haC
hypothecated without authority. Here
the court stopped him, and cautioned
him to answer questions and not g
into irrelevant matters, but he agar
lapsed so far as to tell that wiltshire
had gone to Cleveland to get help from
his brother-in-law, and had come bacl
with nothing, and later that Wilshir'
had mortgaged property for $4,000
} and explained to him that he did so t.
make good that sum Of money sunk b,
him in wheat taken from his father
estates. He explained also how he dis
counted Lewis note at Wilshire's Sug
gestiOn, and after again denying that
dollar of the banks money OF his wen
into the wheat deal, went on to tel
: of the crash, how Wiltshire and Hop
kins followed him to Bowman's wher
he dined, and with tears in their eye
, begged him to let them have NOR
l money. He had refused Wiltshire tina
: morning. Hopkins suggested telE
f graphing to bank in Chicago to Sc
how much they would take to carry tn
deal through. Hopkins sent such
!, telegram to the American Exchang
y Bank, Chicago. When the witness n
: turned from dinner he found a telC
d gram on his desk from that bank sayin
g that if Wiltshire was there next morI